Grow on a Moss Pole

As plant parents, we love all the interesting and different ways plants like to grow, whether it be growing up, trailing down, or growing out and all around. To help grow your vining plants, or those with adventitious or aerial roots, provide a moss pole for the plant to attach to and climb up. Moss poles are an excellent way to allow climbing and vining plants to behave just as they would in the wild, such as making their way up a tree or other structure.

Benefits of Moss Poles

• Plants grow up instead of out, making them more manageable, especially in a small space.

• Moss poles mimic a natural growing environment

• Leaves to grow larger by getting more nutrients to the plant through increased root contact on the pole.

How to use a Moss Pole

• Choose a moss pole that is taller than the plant’s current height so there is plenty of room for it to grow up.

• Soak the moss pole in water before planting.

• Set the pole in the container so that it reaches the bottom, this will keep it sturdy. Plants can make poles top-heavy as they grow and could cause the pole to topple and the roots to rip. Place the plant as near to the base of the plant as possible, and fill in with soil.

• If adding a moss pole to an already potted plant, consider repotting and follow the directions above, or carefully create a space to slide the pole all the way down to the bottom of the pot, taking care not to damage the roots.

• After potting, wrap vining plant parts around the pole and use twine or plant pins to keep the plant attached to the pole.

• Be sure that as many nodes (where the stem and leaf meet) as possible are touching the moss pole. These will turn into roots that will attach to and grow on the pole, allowing the plant to become even healthier.

Maintaining your Moss Pole

• Spritz or poor water on the pole to keep it damp and keep those adventitious roots growing. This also creates additional humidity, which the plant will appreciate.

• As the roots take hold, remove the twine or plant pins and use them to help the new growth attach higher up on the pole.

• When your plant has outgrown its moss pole, you can extend it by attaching a new one.

• If you need to extract your plant from the pole, do so very carefully by dismantling it with sharp shears and taking care not to damage the roots.

Moss poles are a fun way to grow vining and climbing plants and allow for an overall happier plant. For an extra layer of fun, try the bendable moss poles that let you shape the pole to your liking.